Flat panel displays are growing in size and falling in price. At this time, non-projection, true HD (i.e.—1080p) 50″ displays are available in the $1,000 to $2,000 price range, and new models are introduced on a regular basis. When edge-lit liquid-crystal display (LCD) panels are replaced with back-lit white light-emitting diodes, another leap in technology will occur. When organic LED panels become viable, flexible, affordable wall-sized displays, including wrap-around configurations, should be possible.
As large displays proliferate, users are finding uses for them beyond just “watching TV.” In some cases, for example, users are displaying pictures or rotating sequences of pictures on these displays, thereby creating, in effect, large picture frames. However, existing systems for video display are restricted either in their utility or in their realism, due to the inherent limitations in a two-dimensional presentation unit. Of these, the most important impact to the perception of a scene may be its lack of visual perspective as the viewer changes his position relative to the display unit.
The use of 3-D glasses or other paraphernalia is oppressive in those circumstances where a casual effect is desired, or where no user intervention is to be required. Thus, prior-art systems relying on still or even video images, or various photographic or video projection techniques, cannot achieve the level of perception of reality that is desired for many residential or commercial display applications.